Alice In Wonderland
by A. G. DuBois
Summary: Alice, the twins' American cousin, has fallen down the rabbit hole that is the Ouran High School Host Club. Now it's time for everyone to learn that things are not always what they seem. Original story! morixoc morioc mori/oc
1. Once Upon A Time

~1~

Once Upon A Time

I tucked my hair behind my ear as I continued to read Romeo and Juliet. I sighed and glared at my watch; we weren't due to land in Tokyo for another two and a half hours. I struggled to remember why I had chosen to bring this play out of all of Shakespeare's works. I had read through this one already, and there were half a dozen other plays that I absolutely loved. Romeo and Juliet just made me mad.

The general idea of "love at first sight" has always seemed a bit bogus to me. The whole "don't judge a book by its cover" thing is true in most cases, so how are you supposed to know that you're in love with someone if you really don't know anything at all about them?

Another thing that always bugged me was how readily they killed themselves to be together. They hadn't known each other for a full week, and yet they were so sure that they couldn't live without the other! Juliet fakes a death, Romeo poisons himself, and then Juliet stabs herself for real. The best part: Juliet was thirteen and Romeo was sixteen!

I slammed the book closed and shoved it into my carry-on. I cranked up the volume on my iPod and laid my head back in hopes of getting some sleep. I was just going to get angrier and angrier if I kept reading _**that**_. I wanted to be calm and relaxed when I landed in Tokyo.

Tokyo.

I couldn't believe that I was actually on a plane to Tokyo, Japan!

Despite my father being from a very prominent and wealthy family in Japan, I had never been to the country. The closest I had ever been was Okinawa and that was only for a few days for a family reunion. I met a large number of aunts, uncles, and cousins that I didn't know I had for the first, and probably the last time. I'm obviously so broken up about it.

Still, I will never forget meeting _them_. They laughed at me for not being very good with Japanese (I was eight, and I'd only spoken it for a few years. Heaven forbid I should get words that sound IDENTICLE mixed up*). They were mean. No, the word "mean" doesn't do them justice. They were downright cruel! But, a letter from my Aunt Yuzuha says that they've changed recently. That remains to be seen

Thinking of them reminded me of the lovely fact that I'm still not entirely fluent in the language that I'll be speaking for the next year or so. I reviewed everything that I would say in my head. I went over every different kind of greeting, the suffixes, and proper sentence structure.** The last thing I needed was to sound like some dorky American tourist. People would definitely be able to tell that I was American, or at least that I wasn't completely Japanese from my accent, but I wanted to fit in at my new school. As much as a foreign exchange student could fit in any way.

The thing that made me the most nervous was the fact that I would be attending a high end private school. It was a freaking _academy_ attended by the children of the richest, and most powerful families in Japan. As if that's not bad enough, my two darling cousins, who I haven't seen in ten years, go to the very school I dread. At least I'm older than them both so I won't have to be in the same class as them. I shudder at the idea of having to spend every class with them.

I glanced over at my brother who sat playing his Nintendo DS in the seat next to me. The lucky duck was going into the ninth grade which was still Middle School in Japan. He wouldn't have to put up with thing one and thing two every day even outside of classes. Maybe if I got myself involved in a club or something, I could use that to fill up my spare time…

I was instantly distracted from my scheming when a stewardess arrived with a cart of snacks. One bonus of coming from a well-off family was riding first class. No super squished seats, no smelly, overcrowded cabin, and, best of all, no mini bag of too-salty, thoroughly-crushed airplane peanuts for me! I was going to feast upon some quality snackage!

* * *

I returned my earbuds to their proper places and pushed play before starting in on my sugar/caffeine soaked banquet. If there was one thing that I was looking forward to even less than school, it was adjusting to the time difference. My sleep schedule had been screwed up three weeks before our flight and was never fixed, so I hoped that my sleep-deprived state would let me fall asleep quickly and easily when we reached our cousins' house at l am (Tokyo time). Not being fluent in Japanese isn't a huge problem when I'm awake. If I fall asleep in class, though, I would be lost in Wonderland clueless, hopeless and helpless.

I clamped my lips shut to keep from laughing at myself. My family had beaten Alice in Wonderland jokes to death, and I hated it with a passion. Now that I had come as far away from them as I could get before going back, I was making those jokes.

_Mental Note: do NOT let one of those jokes slip! I'm sure Tweedledum and Tweedledee will have enough in their arsenal without-_

………

I slapped my head.

There, in the middle of the plane, I slapped myself.

It wasn't a mental slap, either. No, I facepalmed right there in front of every other passenger for my own stupidity.

If I called them Tweedledum and Tweedledee to their faces, they would more than live up to the names. An elbow in my side brought my attention to my brother. I pulled out an earphone and turned to him.

"What?"

"You alright?" He looked at me like I had lobsters crawling out of my ears.

"Yeah, I'm good. Just trying to remind myself of what not to say around _them_. Speaking of which, I will most definitely skin you alive if you make a single Alice in Wonderland joke while you are within twenty kilometers of them."

"Come on, they can't really be that bad. I'm sure your scarred, eight-year-old mind remembers it worse than it really was."

"They threw frogs at people and called them every kind of name imaginable. They were five."

"Huh."

"Well, that's what they were like, anyway. Auntie says that they've changed for the better, but that they're still pranksters. Either way, I'm not about to take any chances."

"You know, if they do find out, then you can just act like it doesn't bother you at all and they won't think to make jokes."

"They're not fifth grade bullies, they're the evil kind of pranksters. They won't fall for something like that. But you know what? I actually pulled two just a second ago when I was thinking."

"See? You've gotten used to them. I bet you couldn't last a week without one of those jokes."

"I think I might just take you up on that bet. Of course, knowing my luck, I'd have a mental break down from the lack of jokes and end up thinking that I was actually in wonderland."

"You would be the one to start talking to the Cheshire Cat." I was about to respond when a huge yawn interfered.

"Let's get some rest. It's late, and I'm sure we'll need all our energy when we land just to deal with Auntie, regardless of how they are."

"Alright, wake me when we land."

"I'll be asleep too, Einstein. The stewardesses will wake us up, that's their job."

"Just shut up and go to sleep, will you?" He turned out his light, rolled over, and dozed off. I situated my pillow against the window and gazed out at the thick puffy clouds below me. Somewhere below them Japan, and my new home for the next year were waiting for us.

I couldn't even begin to guess what I should expect over the coming year, so I resigned myself to a year of surprise and adventure. All I could do was hope that my dream would have a "Happily Ever After".

* * *

* lots of different words sound the same in Japanese e.g. **Kami:** _god/spirit_ or _paper_; **Kiri:** _pretty_ or _crazy/psychi/insane_

** e.g. _"the book is on the table"_ - _"hon wa teberu no ueni arimas"_ - _"book table on is"_


	2. Down the Rabbit Hole

**Hey peeps! This is probably the first fanfic that I've written that I actually feel is any good.  
****I have a problem with finishing what I start, but I'll do my best to see this one through to the end!  
If yous guys got suggestions or something, feel free to message!**

**NOTES:**

***Ja ne:** see you later

****Chibaka:** a fusion of the words _chibi(small, tiny, short)_ and _baka(stupid, idiot, moron)_ therefore roughly translating to _short idiot_ or _stupid shortie_

"This dialog is the twins talking in unison."

_

* * *

_

~2~

Down The Rabbit Hole

"Hey! It's so good to see you guys! Wow! You two have grown so much!"

"Hi, Auntie. It is good to see you again." I slapped a big, albeit sleepy, smile on my face as I greeted my aunt, my little brother following my lead. After our lovely meet-and-greet, Auntie ushered us out to the limo where her butlers or servants or whatever had already gotten our luggage and were loading it into the trunk. "Oh!" Auntie gasped, "Is this all of your luggage? You two didn't bring very much."

"We just brought a handful of clothes for each of us and some of our stuff. American fashion is different from Japanese fashion, so we figured we could just go shopping here."

"Yeah, and Dad said that it should not be a problem since you are a fashion designer and all."

"Yes, yes! Don't you worry one bit!" she practically shouted as we all piled into the limo. "You can leave your wardrobes to me! I'll need to take a look at the clothes you brought before I do, though. That way, I'll know your styles and sizes. But, that can wait till later. You two look exhausted! Driver, take us home. You two get some sleep. The boys are at a friend's house for the night, and you don't need to worry about Uncle, so you can get a good night's sleep!"

"Thanks, Aunt Yuzuha." I elbowed my brother for him to say the same, but only got mumbled gibberish as he shifted in his sleep. Lazy brat. Oh well. "I apologize for imposing on you like this. We will get our own place as soon as we can. We will start looking tomorrow."

"Nonsense! You're not imposing on us! And your father is absolutely ridiculous to think otherwise. I see no reason why you can't stay with us."

"For a whole year?"

"Well _I_ certainly don't have a problem with it, and I'm sure that Uncle won't either. He adores you two, you know. Every time he gets an e-mail or pictures from his brother, he goes on and on about you!" Funny, I seemed to remember Uncle being a very quiet man. Maybe his wife rubbed off on him in the last ten years. "I'm sure the boys won't mind either. There's plenty of room. We won't force you to stay if you don't want to, of course, but we certainly are not going to kick you out! Stay for a week, at least, then you can decide if you'd like to get your own place."

"Thank you, Aunt Yuzuha. That is very sweet of you. It would also give us time to rest up…"

"Exactly. Now go to sleep. We still have a little while before we get home."

"Oh, I could not do that. It would be rude."

"No it wouldn't. You sleep and I'll call Uncle. I'm sure he's anxious to hear that your plane has landed safely."

"If you are sure…"

"I'm positive!" I laid my head back, closed my eyes, and fell right to sleep.

…

* * *

…

I snuggled closer to the warmth, burying my face deeper into the fluffy body pillow that I had locked in a death grip. That's strange, why would Auntie have a fluffy body pillow in the limo? Or warm, comfy blankets? Or a big soft bed? My eyes shot open and I sat bolt upright as I quickly took in my surroundings.

I was in a bedroom that was both beautiful and plain. All of the furniture was obviously expensive, and there was plenty of it. Aside from the bed I was on, there were ornate night stands on either side of it, with small lamps on top of each. The one to my right also held a digital western style alarm was a window that took up most of the wall to my right. The drapes were drawn, letting only a small sliver of sunlight enter the room as it stretched out across the round table just beneath it. The table wasn't big, but it was just the right size to fit two people in the chairs on either side quite comfortably. The wall before me held a large door to the right and an empty book shelf to the left. The last wall had three doors and a wardrobe leaning against it. The only thing this room lacked was life. The room held no sign that there had ever been an occupant besides me, making it seem far from welcoming. The fact that the room itself seemed dead didn't help. The entire room was an off white color.

"This must be one of the guest rooms," I thought aloud. I didn't remember coming in last night. Maybe someone carried me in. I groaned, hoping to death that I had stayed peacefully asleep. I was NOT a morning person. I had a habit of harming those within arm's reach when I was taken from my blissful slumber.

I could just see it now. Mom and Dad call to check up on us:

_…_

_"How is everything?"_

_"Great!"_

_"Is your brother getting along at school?"_

_"Yep!"_

_"Are you getting along at school?"_

_"Yep! Everything is just dandy. No problems at all. Oh, except that I punched someone out while I was half asleep in my first two hours in the country. Other than that, life is just peachy!"_

_…_

I would receive the most epic of groundings. Even halfway around the world isn't far enough to escape such a grounding. I have about as much luck of sneaking out while grounded as breaking into Fort Knox with a plastic spork. I sighed and stood. As amazing as sporks are, plastic or otherwise, the impossible would remain so. I might as well enjoy my freedom while I could. Besides, maybe Auntie and Uncle would laugh it off and not mention it...

I wandered over to the left wall and approached to closest door. Let's see what's behind door number one. I turned the knob and let the door swing open silently. It was completely dark inside.  
I took half a step into the shadows and began groping along the walls. I found my target after a minute or two and the unexpected brightness blinded me for a moment. I blinked.  
Hhhmmm… Yep. I wandered right down the rabbit hole. The room before me was huge. It wasn't as big as the bedroom, but still pretty freaking big. It was **definitely** too big for what it was intended for. Honestly, who really needs a closet the size of a banquet hall? I flicked the light back off and closed the door.

Let's try door number two. This one was identical to the first. What one person needs two Taj Mahal-esk closets? I noticed a large dark blob from the corner of my eye. Correction: what one person needs two Taj Mahal-esk closets AND a wardrobe? I shot a sideways glance at the last door. The two closets were on one side of the wardrobe and the third door was to the other. Hopefully, that meant that it was something else. I slowly crept closer to the last door, almost afraid of what I would find.

It was a bathroom.

It looked more like a luxury spa suite, but it was still a bathroom. My life suddenly began to make sense. My dad had grown up with this, but the cultures are so different that people can still probably turn out at least semi-normal even with all of this. A lot of people I know in America who had less than half of this were snotty, self righteous brats who _**knew**_ that they were better than everyone else. My mom, on the other hand, had grown up never able to catch a break. So that was why she didn't want us to grow up having to do without, but she wouldn't let us be spoiled either. My parents had been so careful to make sure that my brother and I understood the value of money and earning what we want, not just whining for it.

I turned to my right to face the last door on the far wall. This one had to be the exit, unless I was supposed to Rapunzel my way out the window. Sure enough, the door opened into a long hallway. I poked my head out of the door and glanced down the hall to the left and then the right. I couldn't see much of anything, meaning I would have to go in search of my relatives.

I figured the most polite thing to do would be to make myself presentable. I closed the door and turned to find that my suitcases were right at the foot of the bed. I grabbed a change of clothes and darted into the bathroom. After a quick shower and change, I scrubbed my teeth to make sure that I wouldn't kill anyone with my morning breath. I had to say that I was impressed with the bathroom. The shower was separate from the giant Jacuzzi tub. I swear, the tub had full whirlpool functions and was big enough to fit a whole fully padded football team.

I left the room feeling refreshed but far from relaxed. I prayed to any deity that would listen that I wouldn't get hopelessly lost. There were rocks with a better sense of direction than me. I walked out of the bedroom and turned to my right to begin my journey. I was pretty much wandering aimlessly, hoping to bump into someone until a loud sound disturbed the peaceful silence.

The sudden growling caught me so off guard that I jumped almost three feet in the air. I could feel my face rapidly heating up as I realized how much my own stomach had frightened me. My face only continued to grow hotter as I realized how stupid I was being for getting embarrassed when I was the only one here. At least I knew one thing for sure, if the whole rest of the house was this big, then the kitchen must be ginormous! I quickened my pace hoping I would stumble upon a meal some time soon.

…

* * *

…

I staggered down the grand staircase trying not to fall and kill myself. My stomach was quite persistent, piping up every 13.2 seconds or so to complain. I glanced at the grandfather clock that stood against the wall to my right. How many hours had I been wandering around for? My eyes bugged out of my head as my stomach complained again, louder this time. It had only been fifteen minutes since I left my room.

Just as I was about to collapse and give up, a familiar aroma caught my attention. Waffles! I darted through a door to my left. This was too good to be true! Waffles were my favorite, but I didn't think that Auntie or Uncle would have known that. I doubted my parents would have mentioned it since our coming here was planned last minute and very hurriedly. I pushed through one final door to find the ginormous kitchen that was even better than I had imagined.

I was about to begin my search for the waffles when something else caught my eye.

I froze.

Four golden eyes locked onto mine as I stood there like an idiot. I let my vision widen so I could see the rest of the. The two of them right next to each other like that – I blinked to make sure that there really were two of them and not a mirror or blurry vision. The only visible difference was that one had his hair parted to the left while the other had his hair parted to the right. They were a perfect mirror image of each other. Sure enough, there was nothing but air between the two. They leaned forward and each placed an elbow on the table and their head in the same hand. Each used the opposite hand of the other keeping up the 'mirror' illusion.

"You know," the one to the left began. I had to quickly remind myself to focus on what he was saying so I wouldn't seem like a complete idiot when I answered. "You really should make yourself more presentable before you come to see people."  
_**"**_Yes.**_"_** Their voices were practically identical! I could hear a slight difference, but not enough that I could identify it. **_"_**You really do look very sloppy.**_"_**

"Ah! Um, s-sorry. I–I thought, I mean, I just–" I thought that my nice jeans and blue button-up shirt would have been okay.

"Can you believe this?" said the first to the second, "She's an absolute mess!"  
_**"**_I wonder where they found her.**_" _**Found me? What the heck is that supposed to mean!  
"Her accent is strange, too." Of course my accent was strange I was from New York City!  
_**"**_I wonder what they were thinking.**_" _**They stood and began to leave the room. Thinking? I turned to speak to them as they left.  
"She seems pretty airheaded, but they must have hired her for some reason." 'Hired her'? They think…

THOSE DORKS THINK I'M A MAID?

I marched after them, intent on smacking them both into next week. They see some strange foreign girl in their house and assume that it's not their cousin from America who is coming to stay with them, but some new foreign maid that they didn't know they had. Yes, that makes perfect sense. My resolve died as my stomach decided to remind me of the waffles in the kitchen. I would get those two later. I know where they live. So, I turned around and hunted down the waffles. Once I made it to my third plateful I was interrupted by Auntie.

"Oh! There you are. I'm glad to see you managed to find your way. I wanted to reintroduce you to the boys, but I can't seem to find them. I think they may have left for school already."

"Well, I did see them. They were here when I got here, but they did not stay long." I paused. "They also thought that I was a maid."

"Did they? I suppose that would be a natural conclusion." She noticed me looking at her like she was nuts. "We didn't tell them that you were coming, we wanted to surprise them." So they weren't just being stupid. "Oh well, you can just say hello to them when you go to Ouran later today."

"Huh?"

"After I do some fashion fixing with you two, I'm going to take James to visit his school and Uncle is going to take you to visit Ouran. Now, shall we get to work?" I nodded, swallowed the rest of my waffles in three bites, and hurried off after her. I stuck close to her and tried to memorize the trip so I wouldn't get lost, hopefully. Once we found my room, Auntie immediately dove into my trunk, throwing clothes every which way.

"Hmm…" she said frowning. I didn't like the way she was staring down my favorite pair of jeans.

"What is wrong?"

"You don't have a single dress or skirt in here. Did you leave them in America?" I visibly winced before answering. I hated wearing those stupid cloth funnels...

"I have never been one to wear skirts and I only really wear dresses on special occasions."

"Really? Well then I'll have Uncle ask about the uniform."

"What do you mean?" She stood up and walked over to one of the giant closets. A few seconds later, she emerged with a clothing bag. My eyes leapt out of my skull and my jaw hit the floor when she pulled out the bag's contents. There was **NO WAY** I was going to wear that monstrosity! The bright sunshine-yellow fabric of the dress sat in my aunt's hands, mocking me.

"_That_ is the girls' uniform for Ouran?"

"Yes. BUT! I can alter a few of the boys' uniforms so they'll fit you. We just need to talk to the headmaster just to make sure that there're no problems."

"That works for me."

"Now, what do you say we get started on the rest of your wardrobe?"

…

* * *

…

What is it with rich people and making everything bigger than it needs to be? Hmm… I wonder if their trying to compensate for something… Anyway, there is no logical reason why the school needs to be so big!

"Are you alright?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. I just was not expecting this place to be so huge."

"Well, Ouran is one of the best schools in the country. Most of the country's rich high schoolers attend here, not to mention all of the foreign exchange students." Right… These buildings could fit every student in Japan with room to spare! I really hoped that I would make at least one friend pretty quickly so that I would have someone to keep me from getting lost.

Thirty-five minutes later, I was sitting just outside the headmaster's office. I was amazed at how my calm, quiet uncle managed to deal with such energetic people like Auntie and the headmaster. From what I could tell, Uncle and the headmaster seemed to know each other as more than mere acquaintances, though not well enough to be friends, or even directly connected to one another. They must share a common friend. I was just relieved that the headmaster didn't have a problem with Auntie's uniform fix idea.

Yet, as if warning me that I was not going to be completely rid of its existence, a bright yellow dress entered the room. Thankfully, for my sanity's sake, a girl was wearing it. She had a serious look on her face that did little to hide her annoyance. She clearly didn't want to be here, and she was going to blame me for it.

"Hello, my name is Jonochi Ayame of class 2A. It's a pleasure to meet you. I will give you a brief tour of Ouran Academy. Ootori Kyoya will be joining us soon." With that, she turned and walked right back out the door. I hurried after her. Something in what she just said didn't add up.

"H-hey, wait!" She didn't even slow down. "I do not completely understand the Japanese education system. Maybe you could answer some of my question?" Still nothing. "There are 'A', 'B', 'C', and 'D' classes for each grade, uh, year, right?" This time I got a nod. "And students are put into the classes according to their grades, right?" Another nod. "So, since I am about an average student, I will end up in the 'B' class or 'C' class, right?"

"If grades were the only thing to consider, then yes, most likely. However, your name is more influential. The 'A' classes mostly consist of the richest families. The occasional genius or scholar student will show up if they get lucky. Ootori-san and I were instructed to give you this tour because we are the top male and female students in our class. This is the school's way of introducing you to intelligent classmates."

"That is what I thought." I sweatdropped. "But I am supposed to be starting my senior year of high school. I should be a third year, right?"

"According to the headmaster, you were placed because the American school year starts in the fall, while the Japanese school year starts in the spring. If you came in as a third year, you'd be entering several months in, and, as you said, you are an average student. You would quickly become over whelmed with everything. Besides, aren't you young for a third year?"

"Yes, I was always the youngest in my class, but–"

"Then you'll simply be one of the oldest students in your class now." I followed her around the school for the next ten minutes, desperately hoping that not all of my other classmates had a six and a half foot metal rod shoved up their–

"Jonochi-san! There you are!"

"Ootori-san." The Grinchette and I both stopped and turned around to see a man about 5'6" power walk over to us. His clean-cut black hair, dark eyes and thick rimmed glasses gave him a suave, businessman demeanor.

One thing that I have always been gifted with was acting. I was a natural actress, but, more so, I could tell when someone else was acting. I can read people like open books. The first thing I noticed was that he was slightly out of breath, like he had been running, but that he hid it well behind his cool façade.

Very well.

Too well.

His smile was the next thing I noticed. It was a "You-just-relax-and-let-me-handle-all-the-world's-problems" smile. Oh yeah, I would _definitely_ be keeping an eye on him. He might as well have had the word _**MANIPULATOR**_ written on his forehead in neon sharpie. People like him and people like me were somewhat similar. We watched others and calculated our actions and reactions based on how we read those around us. I had seen his type before. They can be found in almost any level of society, but are quite frequently found among the rich. This guy probably knew the name of every rich kid in the school as well as intimate details about them, their families, and, most importantly, their families' companies. Worst of all, he probably knew more about me than my own family. I was already on the defensive. If I played my cards just right, maybe I could gain the upper hand.

"Hello, I am Ootori Kyoya of class 2A. It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss." My eyebrows nearly shot up past my hairline, but I was quick to hide my reaction. 'Miss'? He was practically oozing control. There was no way he would have neglected to learn who I am. I might be foreign, but I have Japanese connection. "I apologize for my rudeness. I have been very busy lately dealing with many different issues recently. I only just found out that we would be receiving a foreign exchange student a few minutes ago." I smiled, carefully hiding my victorious smirk under a gentle grin of understanding. "I'm afraid they didn't even tell me your name." I suppressed a laugh. _"They"_ were in a heap of trouble when Ootori Kyoya got his hands on them. To people like me and him, knowledge is power. He knows nothing about me, not even my name. I was in control now, but I was curious to see just how good this guy was. He could obviously be a dangerous enemy, but perhaps he'll prove to be a beneficial ally.

"My name is Alice." The first test. Let's see how far he can get without my family name. "I am the new exchange student from America."

"Yes, they did mention that you're American." His cool, collected mask had settled back into its place again. "I must say that you speak Japanese exceptionally well."

"I am not completely fluent, but it is the second language we spoke at home. I have a number of Japanese relatives, you see." He saw, alright. I had to admit that it was entertaining to watch his mask shift and ripple. I could practically hear the gears churning in his skull. He didn't know my family name, but now he knew that I had connections in Japan. If I didn't I wouldn't have made it into Ouran Academy, class 2A, simple as that. He adjusted his glasses before continuing.

"I see. What sort of school did you attend in America, if you don't mind my asking?" Ootori is attractive, I'll give him that. He knows how to use it too. From his confidence, I guessed that he was some kind of ladies man or that he used his charm often and quite successfully. Unfortunately for him, I wouldn't be wooed so easily.

"Ootori-san, please try not to overwhelm her with questions."

"Oh, how rude of me! I didn't mean to pry, though I am genuinely curious." He wasn't giving up without a fight. Not that I cared, I was up for some good mental exercise.

"I do not mind. I attended a private school in New York City. It is a very high end school, but it does not compare to Ouran. Is it true that all of the richest families in Japan send their children here, Ootori-san?"

"Mostly. There are other fine schools, such as Lobeliea's Girls' Academy. However, most of the children of rich families attend Ouran, and some, like yourself, come from other countries to attend here."

"Wow, that is amazing!" Ootori was plainly a skilled manipulator, so I had no guilt about turning the tables on him. I put on a big cute smile and began my first great performance in Japan. Manipulating Males 101: Pet The Ego.

"You know so much about the school and the students, Ootori-san! You are so smart. No wonder you are the top in your class." Glasses ate it right up. He allowed himself a small smile as he adjusted his glasses again. I continued to smile adoringly at him and did a little victory dance in my head as his ego swelled up like a tick ready to pop.

"That's very kind of you to say, Alice-san, but I'm no genius. And please, call me Kyoya."

"If you don't mind, _Ootori-san_, I have other things to do-"

"Yes, of course, Jonochi-san. I can take care of the rest of the tour." She gave a pert nod before turning and striding away, her dark storm cloud of doom and gloom in tow. Now it was just me and tall, dark, and sinister. I turned back to face him, careful to keep my mask of sweet innocence in place.

"Um, I do not want to be rude by calling you by your given name."

"Not at all. Jonochi-san insists on calling me Ootori-san no matter what I say. Now shall we continue the tour?"

We continued on like this for another twenty minutes or so. He showed me all but a few rooms of the school and told me tons of stuff, most of which would be virtually useless to me. That didn't stop me from asking, though. I wanted to know just how much he knew. Glasses really knows his stuff, too. He answered all of my questions completely, while still only telling me some of what he knows. There was very little that this guy didn't know and the fact that my family name and who I was fell into that category was killing him. He had been constantly sending me subtle hints and invitations to share it with him, but I somehow managed to evade them. I seemed to have at least some control of the conversation and the situation as long as I had that information over him, and I was not ready to give that control up. Not without a fight at least.

Unfortunately, he seemed to have figured that out. He began wording his own questions and replies to corner me. I kept countering for as long as I could, but I was losing ground fast. I didn't want him to know who I was just yet, but I knew that it was only a matter of time. he obviously had excellent sources, se he would find out everything after doing a little homework, and there wasn't much left for him to show me on this tour. Then he slipped. He gave me the perfect bit of information to shirt the conversation in my favor.

"As the vice-president of the Host Club-"

"Host Club?" I couldn't help but notice the relief and hope in my own voice. People like me and him needed keen senses to pick up on the tiniest of signs. The minute facial twitch I noticed was proof enough of his excellent ears and quick mind. He knew as well as I did that he was no longer in control.

"Yes, the Host Club is fairly popular here at Ouran. I am the vice-president of the club and our classmate, Suoh Tamaki, is the president."

"Um, what exactly is a Host Club?"

"Ah! My apologies! A number of boys from the A classes here at Ouran get together in the third music room where we play host to the ladies. We talk with them, have tea and sweets, and just entertain them. You're welcome to stop by before you leave, if you would like. I can introduce you to the other hosts as well. Club was canceled today, but I'm sure that they would all enjoy meeting you." I was impressed with how quickly he recovered. He was hoping to find out more about me by introducing me to his friends. He's clever, there's no denying that. Too bad for him I am a master of manipulation techniques. Since I hardly gave him any information in our conversation, he was starting to get annoyed, suspicious, and much more cunning. Best response: throw him a bone. A useless bone, but a bone none the less.

"I would definitely like to check that out. I was thinking of getting into a club or something. I am staying with my cousins, you see. I do not dislike them, but I would rather not be forced to spend all of my free time with them."

"Wonderful. Why don't we head over there now? You've seen nearly the whole school, and you'll have me in your classes with you if you have any questions."

"Alright, let us go then." He quickly led me down a number of hallways and up a flight of steps until we reached a room. The sign above it said "Third Music Room" (I think. I still have trouble with the kanji and stuff sometimes). He opened the door and gestured for me to go in.

"Ladies first." I nodded my thanks, went in and was instantly met with six curious pairs of eyes. After the brief moment that it took him to recover, a guy with wavy, golden hair zipped over to me. He gently clasped my hands in both of his and started me right in the eye. He was about the same height as Glasses, so I had to look up at him while I inwardly cursed my height, or lack thereof. Why oh why did I have to stop growing at 5 foot? The gorgeous crystal blue eyes of the guy standing before me seemed to shimmer and sparkle as he spoke to me.

"Hello there. And what is your name, Princess?" Great, another ladies man. Well, I guess they all were if they're "hosts". Another voice caught my attention before I could answer Goldilocks. I recognized this voice.

"Hey, isn't that the new maid we met this morning?"  
**_"_**Yeah.**_"_** They're in the Host Club. Wait! What are _they_ doing in a club like _this_?

"Maid?" Mr. Manipulator's voice snapped me out of my shock. I had told him that I was staying with my cousins. He would either think I was lying or figure it out, but I guessed he would think I lied. After all, the cousin of the Hitachiin Twins coming to Ouran wasn't small news. Oh well, either way I was done with my little game.

"Yeah, she's our new maid."  
**_"_**Why are you here?**_"_**  
"And still dressed like that?" I smirked at them, clearly catching them all off guard.

"First of all, I like the way I dress. Second, we have a saying in America about people who assume, Kahi-kun." I giggled partly because of my little joke that I'm sure only I got and partly because of their faces. They were NOT happy with my attitude, but both of their jaws dropped when they heard their old nickname.

"Kahi?" they asked in unison.

"Yep. I would have said it the other way, but – well, I already explained this. I will not bore you with the explanation again." I turned to the door before continuing. "It is getting late, so I am going to go home. Ja ne*, Chibaka**." I could just picture their faces.

"Hang on,"  
**_"_**We didn't say you could leave yet._**"**_ I stopped, but didn't get the chance to turn around to face them. They came up on either side of me and each wrapped an arm around my shoulders.  
"In case you haven't noticed,"  
_**"**_We're taller than you now,_**"**_  
"Chibaka." Their voices sounded so creepy when they spoke at the same time like that.  
"We'd love to hear about what you've been up to for the last ten years,"  
_**"**_And what you're doing in Japan,_**"**_  
"But first,"  
_**"**_We would just like to take the time to say,_**"**_  
"Welcome to Wonderland."

…

…

…

…

…

…

Crap.

…


	3. Welcome to Wonderland

**Hey, people~! X3**

**I want to thank CloudyBlueSkies for reviewing my last chapter!**

**NOTES:**

Tono is one of the many words for 'Boss'. Hikaru and Kaoru call Tamaki 'Tono' in the Japanese Anime, and 'Boss' in the English dub.

Kendo is samurai sword fighting. Usually done with bamboo and/or wooden practice swords.

Judo is close combat like grappling and jiu jitsu.

"The twins speaking in unison."

_"English."_

_…  
_

* * *

~3~

Welcome to Wonderland

After our little show, the others were all thoroughly confused, and insisted that I stay a little longer and explain everything. We all went and situated ourselves on some of the couches around one of the coffee tables there.

I sat on a love seat with the twins sitting on either side of me. Kyoya sat on our right in a matching chair. He had a little black note book out and was scribbling things in it as fast as he could.

Across the table from us was a full couch. Prince Charming sat on the far left side of the couch, so he was right next to Kyoya (his left, my right). The two sitting next to him were complete opposites of each other.

One was ridiculously tall with chopped, spiky black hair, dark eyes, and a thin mouth. I couldn't read him as well as the rest of them, but I could tell that he was a man of few words and a classic gentle giant. I couldn't place it, but there was something about him that just felt different. It wasn't bad it just made him stand out from the others. While his face was a blank page to me, his body told me volumes. He was built and muscular with a solid stance. He didn't have a violent or aggressive aura about him, but he didn't have an overconfident "I'm-bigger-so-I'm-better" aura either. He seemed much more like a humble protector. I looked back at his face several times to see if I could read him any better, but to no avail. The desire to know what was hidden in the silent giant's mind and why it was hidden consumed me. I would definitely have to get to know this guy.

The small blonde haired brown eyed bubbly boy sitting between Tall-Dark-and-Handsome and Prince Charming intrigued me, to say the least. He could easily pass for a young middle schooler, but there was something off. When I locked eyes with him I could see, masked behind childlike innocence, experienced maturity. That and the high school uniform he wore were proof that he was older than he looked.

The last host was a young boy that the twins had called Haruhi. He had short brown hair and big brown puppy dog eyes. One thing that would take some time to get used to was how feminine a lot of Japanese boys looked. If Haruhi wasn't wearing a guy's uniform, I would've thought that he was a she.

Haruhi made us all some tea before sitting himself down on the matching sofa chair to my left. Once we all got situated, Glasses began his interrogation.

"So, how do you know Hikaru and Kaoru, Alice-san?" The twins blanched.

"Wait!"  
**_"_**You don't know?**_"_**

Apparently, I was dead on. Ootori Kyoya knew _everything_ about _everyone's_ lives. The fact that he lacked information, about me no less, was a shock to everyone. Kyoya grimaced. Now he knows that he missed something. A BIG something.

"No." I smirked, blatantly dropping my earlier guise. "He has no idea who I am and it is killing him. He has been trying to get me to tell him information about myself for the last half of an hour. Unsuccessfully, I might add."

"I will say that your ability to control a conversation is impressive. However, I am curious as to why you were so intent on keeping information about yourself from me." His dark eyes narrowed behind his glasses.

"You are a manipulator;" I said simply, "a shadow king, so to speak. You learn everything you can about 'valuable' people and then use that information for your own benefit. I could not resist a little test of your skill when I found out that you did not know my name. I must say, Ootori-san, you did not disappoint."

"Thank you. The twins seem to have told you a great deal about me."

**_"_**Actually, Kyoya-sempai…**_"_**  
"We haven't talked to Alice in ten years."  
**_"_**We just recognized the nickname she gave us when we were kids.**_"_**  
"We don't even know why she's here." They both shrugged.

"WHAT?"

Ow.

Prince Charming has a loud mouth. Greeeeaaaat…

"You mean to say that Alice-hime was able to figure our Kyoya out at just a glance?"

"Alice-chan's psychic!"

"I don't think so, Hunny-sempai. She's probably just really observant or good at reading people," Haruhi said as he tried to calm the energetic little blond.

"Um, 'Alice-_hime_'?"

"Yeah, it means–"

"I know what it means. I want to know why you called me _'Princess'_?"

"The Host Club may not be open today," my blond classmate said with a flourish, "but you are still our guest. We treat every girl as if she were a princess here."

"Uh-huh." It was definite: he's an idiot.

"Now, please allow us to introduce ourselves properly to you. I am Suoh Tamaki, the Princely Type, and president of the Host Club, Class 2A."

"Ootori Kyoya, the Cool Type and vice president of the Host Club, Class 2A."

"I'm Haninozuka Mitsukuni and this is Morinozuka Takashi, but everyone calls us Hunny and Mori. I'm Loli Shota Type and Takashi's Wild Type. We're both in Class 3A."

"Fujioka Haruhi, the Natural Rookie type, Class 1A."

Silence

"Well? Aren't you two brats going to introduce yourselves to her properly?"

"Why?"  
**_"_**She already knows us.**_"_**

"Yes, but I want to know what 'type' you guys are."

"Fine," They sighed and stood.  
"Hitachiin Hikaru,"  
**_"_**And Hitachiin Kaoru,**_"_**  
"Little Devil type, Class 1A. Signature Brotherly Love." They finished by embracing each other in a way that seemed anything but straight.

I couldn't help it.

I cracked.

I busted out laughing. I laughed and laughed and laughed and laughed. I finally forced myself to calm down when I started seeing spots in front of my eyes from lack of oxygen to my brain.

"What's so funny?"

"You would do something like this, Kahi."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"N-nothing, nothing," I managed through the returning fits of giggles. "I-I j-just–" was all I got out before breaking down again.

"Shut up, would you?"  
**_"_**It's just an act for the girls.**_"_**

"I am sure that it is." I kept giggling.

"Alice-chan?" I looked up to see the tiny senior standing in front of me with a pink stuffed rabbit clutched to his chest. I was amazed at his height, or lack thereof. He wasn't even five feet tall! At least I wasn't the shortest anymore. "Why do you call Hika-chan and Kao-chan 'Kahi'?"

"I call them that because I first met them when we were kids. The two of them used to be pure evil. If I called them by their names, they would start mixing me up about which was which just for the sake of confusing me. The fact that my Japanese was really bad at the time did not help either. So, since they were being obnoxious, I decided that I would be obnoxious right back to them. They are inseparable and identical twins, so I decided to give them one name. I used the first sound from each of their names and combined them. I would have used "Hika", but that is just his name." I pointed to one of them.

**_"_**I'm Kaoru.**_"_**

"Darn. I could have sworn I had it right that time."

"Well, this is the first time we've seen you in ten years."  
**_"_**There's no way you'll get it right for real.**_"_**  
"Yeah, you've got a 50/50 chance if you guess."

"That is alright. I have at least a year to figure it out."

**_"_**But you're not in our class.**_"_**  
"And we spend most of our free time here in the club."

"But you guys do go home at some point, right? I will just see you then." We all jumped when Kyoya choked on his tea, spewing it all over everyone.

"Kyoya-sempai! Are you alright?" Haruhi quickly began cleaning up the mess and helping the choking teen while the two blonds ran around like chickens with their heads cut off. Instead of answering the brunette, he looked up at me accusingly.

"You said that you were–"

"Yes I did," I said cutting him off with a smirk. I knew exactly what he was thinking, and I was loving every moment of this. "Come on, _Glasses_, I would have thought that you would have figured it out by now. I mean, it is pretty obvious at this point."

"They don't have any relatives in America," he spat at me with his voice dangerously low.

**_"_**Actually, Kyoya-sempai, we have an uncle who lives in America.**_"_**  
"He and Grandfather got into an argument a while back, so there's limited contact, but–"

"Yes, yes, I know about _him_. I also know that he never married or had any children."

"The marriage was the reason for the argument," I explained. "Grandfather did not approve of my mother. He said that he did not want the family name tainted or something like that. The agreement was that neither one of my parents would ever come to Japan unless under special circumstances, and he would never have to meet my brother and me. In exchange, we were allowed into the family. However, that did not happen until several years after my brother was born. Originally, he tried to hide our existence. You would not be able to find my brother and me unless you went looking for us." The shadow king righted himself in his seat and regained his composure before continuing his interrogation.

"If it's so hard to learn about you, then why were you so surprised when I didn't know you?"

"I assumed you would have been aware of the new student from America and been curious. You could at least find my name and birth date in the student records. I figured you would get curious when you saw "Hitachiin Alice"."

"So you're their cousin?" asked Haruhi.

"Yes, our fathers are brothers."

"It's alright, Kyoya. None of this is your fault." Tamaki flipped his golden locks as he spoke. "This is all the fault of the moron who was supposed to give you her file in the first place."

"Do you mean this file, Sempai?"

"Why, Haruhi, where did you get that?"

"I found it on the floor by your bag. I think it fell out when I was cleaning up the tea." The glare that Kyoya shot at Tamaki would have frozen hell over.

"So you guys are staying with us for the year?"  
**_"_**Why are we just finding out about this?**_"_**

"Your mother wanted to surprise you. Surprise!"

"Somehow, that's not very surprising," they said in a bored, _'we-so-should-have-seen-that-coming'_ way.

"Yes, well, it was also her idea that we stay with you for the whole year."

"Of course you're staying with us,"  
**_"_**You guys are our cousins!**_"_**

"Yes! Even these two little demons know how important family is. Even they could not bear to leave a beautiful young girl to the mercy of this cruel world. Even they would lose sleep at night wondering if you were alright, if you were safe, if you were warm, if you had food and clothes and a roof over your head! Fear not, fair Alice-hime! If they should throw you out, I will take care of you!" he ran up and clasped my hands in both of his again. Suoh Tamaki is definitely a weird one.

"Sempai, they already said it was fine!"

**_"_**Just ignore Tono.**_"_**  
"He's a bit of an idiot."

"Hey!"

"If you don't mind my asking, Alice-san," Kyoya interjected, "I'd like to know more about your brother. You said he was younger than you, correct?" He was fed up with being in the dark. I couldn't help but giggle.

"Yes, that is correct. He is being placed as a third year in middle school. That is, unless they do with him what they did with me."

"What did they do?"

"Well, I am supposed to be a third year, but they are placing me as a second year because of the differences in the American and Japanese school calenders. I am an average student, so they believe that I would not be able to handle entering mid-year."

"Considering the language barrier, that was probably a good decision." He spoke without looking up from his avid scribbling. "You speak Japanese exceptionally well, but minor bits of your grammar and pronunciation are off just enough for us to be able to tell that it's not your native tongue. I'm sure you have seen the same thing with foreigners in America."

"Yes, I know what you are speaking of. I think that James may still be placed as a third year, though. His Japanese is not quite as good as mine, but he learns quickly, and he has high grades."

"I hope they make him a third year. Then he'll be in the same class as Chika-chan and Sato-chan." Hunny bounced in his seat excitedly.

"Who?"

"Hunny-sempai and Mori-sempai's younger brothers," said Tamaki. It felt so strange to have someone who seemed so stupid explaining things to me.

"Wow, that is pretty cool that they are friends the same way that you two are."

"Hunny-sempai and Mori-sempai are cousins, so they've been friends their whole lives."  
**_"_**Yasochika and Satoshi are the same way.**_"_**

"I wish you could be in our class, Alice-chan," Hunny whined. Normally, I hate when little kids whine, but this was a cute whine. No doubt he practiced to sound cute for his 'customers'.

"I might not be in your class, Hunny-sempai, but I can still see you here at school. And you are in the same club as the twins, so I am sure that we will see each other."

"Will you come to the Host Club tomorrow and eat cake with me?" he pleaded. His face lit up like a little kid's on Christmas. Curse his unrelenting cuteness!

"Yes, Hunny-sempai, I will come and eat cake with you."

"YAY!"

"So, Alice-san, about your brother…"

For the next ten minutes, Kyoya gave me the third degree on all sorts of random information about my brother and myself. The others would occasionally throw their own questions in there and the twins would help me answer some things about our family in general. I even managed to learn a thing or two about each of the hosts.

I learned that Hunny is a master martial artist and is captain of the Karate Club. He also loves sweets, especially cake, and he loves cute things, bunnies in particular.

I learned that Mori is the captain of the Kendo Club and the Judo Club. And, apparently, he is Hunny's overgrown shadow. Where ever the little blond ball of sunshine goes, Tall-Dark-and-Mute is right there next to him.

I learned that Haninozuka Yasochika is the captain of the Karate Club and that Morinozuka Satoshi is the captain of the Kendo Club at their middle school. I had to say that I was glad to hear it. James was into both Kendo and Karate, meaning he would become best friends with the two of them. Though, I did learn that the two boys did not really act like their older brothers. Yasochika acts tough and says he hates cute things and Satoshi is actually very friendly and social.

I learned that Tamaki was an only child and that he grew up in France with his sick mother, who is French herself.

I learned that Kyoya is the youngest of four with two older brothers and an older sister. He is also the only Host Club member who is the youngest sibling. (Kaoru is technically younger than Hikaru, but only by a few minutes, so they say that it's too close to really count).

Then, there's Haruhi. I learned that he is an only child and is attending Ouran on scholarship because he's…a commoner…I assumed that I was mistaken and had misunderstood what the boys said, but it was my assumption that was my mistake. They did in fact call Fujioka Haruhi a "commoner". Apparently he lives alone with his father (because his mother died when he was little) in a small apartment. He was only in the Host Club because he had stumbled in here by accident and had accidently broken an 80,000,000 yen vase, so they drafted him as a host in order to pay off his debt.

"You have my condolences and my pity, Haruhi." He seemed less than amused, though _**I**_ was highly amused when the twins, Tamaki, and Hunny all started to freak out at what I had said. "I pity you, not because of your financial or social state, but because you are now forced to interact with all of these snobby, egocentric, annoying prudes."

Everyone froze. Haruhi blinked. Not a single one of them was expecting that.

"HEY!" I just smirked at them. Then Haruhi exploded into a fit of laughter.

"I-I'm sorry, A-Alice-sempai," Haruhi said practically giggling. "I w-wasn't expecting you t-to say something l-like th-that. Most of the people here-"

"Haruhi, I can personally assure you that I am more likely to act like you than like _them_."

"Glad to hear it, Sempai," he said with a smile. "They're annoying anyway." Tamaki seemed to take this especially hard, going off into a dark emo-corner to grow mushrooms.

"Aw, C'mon, Haruhi, don't be that way."  
**_"_**Yeah, you know you love us.**_"_**

"Sure, when you guys aren't making my life miserable."

"Making the lives of others miserable does seem to be a favorite hobby of their's," Kyoya added as he adjusted his glasses again. "I almost feel bad that you have to live with them, Alice."

"'Almost'? You know, I hear that holding grudges is bad for one's health." I couldn't help but smirk. He did have reason to be mad at me, but he had more reason to want me on his side. "How about this, Kyo-kun,-?"

"'Kyo-kun'?" He interjected. He was **not** amused. Of course, I couldn't care less.

"Do not interrupt." I gave him a look like a mother scolding her child before quickly returning my scheming smile to it's proper place. "We should make a deal."

…

…

…

"What kind of deal?" He finally caved.

"A truce," I said with a smirk. "You scratch my back and I will scratch yours."

"I'm listening." My smile grew into one worthy of the Cheshire Cat himself.

"My greatest weakness is my sense of direction. I would get lost in a paper bag if you left me there long enough." He just raised an eye brow and looked like he was trying hard not to laugh. Not like he was trying to hide it. "However," I grit my teeth and bit the bullet, knowing that I had brought that upon myself. "My greatest strength is my skill as an actress. As you saw earlier, I am good at playing one of many different roles on the spot and, as Haruhi so brilliantly deduced earlier, I am exceptionally good at reading people. If you help me navigate through Ouran every day, then we would be spending most of our time together through the day. We would have to talk about something, right?" He smiled at where this was going. "Helping me through the grounds and the hallways would surely be helpful to me, but I am sure that your vast knowledge does not end there."

"It would be even more helpful to you if I introduced you to others and tell you a little about them, wouldn't it? That would no doubt help you make friends with others faster. And, of course, I will anxiously await hearing about all of your new friends."

"Why, of course, Kyoya-san. What are friends for?"

"It would seem that I may have misjudged you, Alice-san." His smirk matched mine.

"Do we have a deal, Kyoya-san?" I asked innocently extending my hand. Kyoya began to reach out to shake my hand when

"I hope you realize that you're making a deal with the devil." It was blatantly obvious that they were talking about Kyoya, who shot them a nasty look.

I just couldn't resist.

"Kahi-kun! Do not tell him that! At least not until we close the deal!" Kyoya smirked and shook my hand.

"Alice-san, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

"Indeed, Kyoya-san, indeed."

I heard the twins facepalm behind us and a muttered "I've got a bad feeling about this," from Haruhi. I felt eyes on me from someone other than Kyoya, so I turned my head to look and see who was staring at me. My eyes locked with steel grey ones. Before I got a chance to really look, Hunny launched himself at his cousin's waist crying about how scary Kyoya looked, causing Mori's eyes to shift to the little blond who was now latched on to him. I couldn't help the disappointment that I felt at missing a chance to see just what went on in his head.

"Kyoya! What did you trick Alice-hime into agreeing to?" I jumped at Prince Charming's sudden out burst. Tamaki was suddenly cured of his emo-ness. My best guess was that his "damsel-in-distress"-sense was tingling. He couldn't have been more wrong.

"Calm down, Tamaki, it was her idea."

"Was it? Or did you just make Alice-hime think that it was her idea?"

"It _was_ my idea, _Prince Charming_. Kyoya is probably the last person who could trick me into doing something. I know that he is a manipulator, so I immediately look for any possible hidden agendas. Also, would you _please_ stop calling me 'Alice-_hime_'? The whole princess deal is really not my thing." I know that Tamaki wasn't trying to annoy me or anything, he just calls all of the girls 'princess'. It just wasn't me.

"I guess some things never change."  
_**"**_Sorry, Tono.**_"_**  
"We probably should have mentioned it sooner."

"Mentioned what?"

"That Alice doesn't like being babied,"  
**_"_**Or pampered,**_"_**  
"Or spoiled."  
**_"_**She's tough.**_"_**  
"She can take care of herself."

"You got that right!" I giggled as I came up behind the twins and wrapped an arm around each of their necks. I was amazed at how easily I could interact with these two. Auntie was right, they have changed. They're still bratty little pranksters from what I can tell, but they're not completely evil and antisocial like they used to be. Even though we hadn't seen each other in ten years, and we lived on opposite sides of the planet, we still ended up being so similar. I smiled gently to myself as I remembered a joke our parents had made when we were still little. They would joke and laugh about how our moms seemed more like sisters than our dads seemed like brothers. I acted like my mom, and they acted like theirs. I had a feeling that this year wouldn't be nearly as tortuous as I had originally feared.

A knock on the door grab everyone's attention. Without waiting for an answer, the culprit opened the door and stuck his head in.

"Sorry to barge in, but-"

"Dad?"

"Oh, hello, boys."

"Hello, Uncle. I am sorry, I got a little distracted during the tour. Is it time to leave?"

"There's no hurry. You can just come home with Hikaru and Kaoru, if you'd like. Just make sure that you don't come home too late."

"Well, it's just about time to for us to all head home anyway, Mr. Hiitachin." Kyoya said in what I guessed was his "host voice".

**_"_**Don't worry, Dad, we'll be home soon.**_"_**  
"We don't want Alice-chan to miss out on Mom's hosting skills."  
**_"_**We'll just give her a quick tour of the area,**_"_**  
"Then we'll head home."  
"Promise!"

"If I am not home in one hour, call the National Guard," I told my uncle in a dead-pan tone.

"You got it," he chuckled back.

"Oh relax, Alice," Tweedledum slid up right beside me and wrapped an arm around my shoulders.  
**_"_**You're safe with us.**_"_** Tweedledee slid up on my other side and mimicked his brother.  
"We wouldn't dream of letting anything happen to you."  
**_"_**We're not stupid enough to throw away a perfectly good, brand new toy.**_"_**

"'Toy'?" Before I could blink, they each grabbed one of my arms and drug me out the door, down the hall, and all the way out side and into their waiting limo.

…

* * *

…

"We're home!"

"Tamaki was right, you two _are_ demons."

**_"_**Aw, don't be that way.**_"_**  
"You had fun and you know it."  
**_"_**You're just being a sourpuss.**_"_**

I grumbled as I traipsed into my aunts house. I guess I it would make more sense to just call it 'home' now, since I would be living here for the next year.

"Hey! It is nice to meet you guys!" I glanced up to see my younger brother James running down the front steps to greet us. Correction: to greet the twins. He practically shoved me out of his way, and the devilish duo wasn't any better as they walked up to him. "I am James, your cousin."

"Nice to meet you, the pleasure is all ours." They both grinned their wicked grin that gave me goose bumps and a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach.  
"I'm Hikaru,"  
**_"_**And I'm Kaoru.**_"_**  
"If you can't tell us apart,"  
**_"_**Don't worry,**_"_**  
"No one can."  
**_"_**So how do u like Japan so far?**_"_**  
"Have you seen your school?"  
**_"_**Do you like it?**_"_**  
"Have you made any friends?"  
**_"_**How many have you made?**_"_**  
"What are their names?"  
**_"_**Are you going to sign up for any clubs?**_"_**  
"Will you sign up for more than one?"  
**_"_**Which ones?**_"_**  
"Hmm?"

James and I blinked and stared at the things that we were apparently related to.

"Um, let me see if I can get this." He paused and thought for a moment.  
"Good, because I do not think I will ever be able to tell the two of you apart,  
I like Japan a lot,  
I have seen my school,  
I love it,  
I have made a few friends,  
mainly two,  
their names are Haninozuka Yasochika and Morinozuka Satoshi,  
I was planing on it,  
there are two that I am interested in,  
and they are Karate Club and Kendo Club."  
"Um," James scratched the back of his head nervously. "Is that everything, or did I miss something?"

**_"_**You actually did surprisingly well,**_"_**  
"For an American who can barely speak Japanese."  
**_"_**It's plain to see, though,**_"_**  
"That you are definitely our cousin." They came up on either side of us one of them wrapped his arm around James's shoulders and the other wrapped his around mine.  
"The four of us are going to get along great!"

"_Joy..._" James and I muttered under our breath. Kahi started laughing.

"_What's wrong with them?_" James asked me in English.

"_I think our dear Kahi-kun found it amusing that we can talk in unison too._"

"_Oh...they're weird._"

"_You're telling me! I have to go to school with them! I'm not in their class, but that's not gunna stop them from spending some "quality time" with me._" Being the encouraging brother that he is, he laughed out loud at my pain.

"_Thanks._"

**_"_**So…**_"_**  
"Those new friends you mentioned,"  
**_"_**What did you say their names were again?**_"_**  
"Haninozuka and Morinozuka?"

"Yes, that is what I said."

"I told you that he would be friends with them," I said and crossed my arms

"No you didn't."  
**_"_**Hunny-sempai said that he wanted them to be friends,**_"_**  
"But you didn't say anything."

"Oh. Well I thought it."

"That doesn't count!" I giggled at them, which only seemed to annoy them more.

"How do you three know them?"

"_Thing one and Thing two_ are in the Host Club with their older brothers."

"Wait, you are meaning to be through the same age as they, huh?"

"Huh?"

"I think he means, "You are supposed to be in the same year as them, correct?" Or something like that."

_"What did I say?"_

_"Something more akin to gibberish."_

_"Oops. So why aren't you in their grade?"_

"Because," I said, emphasizing the fact that I went back to speaking Japanese. "I was told that my average grades, my lack of perfection with the language Japanese, and the fact that I was coming to the middle of the school year, would make being a third year too difficult. So, I was placed as a second year instead."

"Ha ha! You get to enjoy a whole extra year of school!"

"_I hope you get the living snot beat out of you in the Karate and Kendo Clubs._"

"_Love ya too, Sis._ So, do I get to hear the story of how you two got sucked into joining the 'Host Club'?"

"Stories come later!" Auntie's voice echoed through the whole front room. "First, we have a surprise for you two." Auntie drug the four of us through the house and into some random room. It was pitch black, but I could tell that it was yet another huge room that was, more likely than not, too big for it's intended purpose. I heard a bang as someone flipped a breaker or some kind of huge power switch causing light to flood the room. It was a garage. Right there in front of me and my brother were our babies.

"Auntie, how-?"

"Your mother mentioned how much you guys love these things, and we have more than enough room for them, so we had them shipped over."

For the first time since I got my baby, I jumped up and down squealing like a crazed fangirl. Staying in Japan just got a lot more enjoyable.

…


	4. Through the Looking Glass

~4~

Through the Looking Glass

My laughter was drowned out by the wind as it roared past me. There was nothing on this Earth that I loved doing more than riding my motorcycle. It may seem strange, but he was my baby. It was probably the smallest model on the market that was still considered a "motorcycle", but I loved him all the same. My friends back home always used to laugh at how ridiculous I was about it. I would spend my free time tuning it up as best I could or adding a new coat of polish. I wasn't necessarily good with mechanics, but I learned how to at least do basic maintenance.

I was enjoying my last free day before I started at Ouran. Auntie had already had all the proper adjustments made to all of my school uniforms and all of my books had been delivered to the house. I was ready for whatever awaited me on Monday. Well, almost. I pulled off to the side of the road, gently riding my bike up onto the curb to park it next to a bike stand just outside this cute little corner café. I slid off my helmet, clipped it to the back of my bike, and walked into the café. I unzipped my heavy leather jacket grabbing my wallet from the zipper pocket on the inside. I bought a latte and a scone, not really paying attention as I sat alone at a one seat table on the little outside patio. I was amazingly nervous about starting at this new school. One of the things that really worried me was that the twins seemed to be very well known. People would probably have a bunch of preconceived notions about what kind of person I was, which led me to my current predicament. Normally, I would let my new persona form on its own when I entered a new environment. This time I had to be prepared. I was in a completely new world now. I didn't just have to worry about the language and the culture, but I also had to worry about my new accomplice. Ootori Kyoya. I had done a little research to find out all I could about him, and it was a good thing too. Kyoya was a master shadow king. Tamaki was the figure head, but Kyoya pretty much ran the host club, and therefore had tons of influence throughout the entire school, not to mention all of the power he held through his family. He was a dangerous person, but I had luckily avoided that bullet when I offered our deal. I was not feeling up to waging an all-out war against someone like him. Of course, that didn't mean we were going to completely trust one another. I had done my homework, and I was sure he was doing his. He would no doubt know the real reason my brother and I had come to Japan when we did, and why we had come on such short notice. I didn't have that kind of leverage on him, but I could probably use his father against him if push came to shove. I just hoped he would see the true value I had as an ally and would be happy leaving things that way.

I pulled my cell phone out of another inside pocket to check the time. It was only eight minutes after one in the afternoon. I didn't need to be back until dinner, so I relaxed back in my seat and turned back to my musings. I would have Kyoya watching my back for a little while at the very least, but that still left me with a very demanding audience. I wouldn't have time to make up some detailed persona once I got to school tomorrow morning, so I would need to prepare myself now. Despite the modifications, I would still be wearing a boy's uniform, so that killed any ideas of being a shy quiet person. I didn't enjoy that one as much, but it was good for avoiding lots of questions and conversations. No, I would have to be someone who could handle attention. I would need details that I could feed people that would satisfy their curiosity, but keep them from diving too deep.

I huffed as I took another bite of my scone. I didn't like having to plan stuff like this. I always just figured things out as I went along. What kind of person could I be in a place like this? What kind of mask could I wear? I needed to be someone who wasn't afraid to stand out, but who wasn't everyone's best friend. I needed to be someone who I could use as a contingency plan too. If Kyoya could control the masses, then I could too. I needed to be someone who wasn't necessarily a leader, but could lead if the situation arose. I needed to be someone like Kyoya, but minus the figure head to shadow. I needed to be someone who was tough, but wasn't afraid to admit that my Japanese was bad in order to avoid unwanted questions and conversations. I slowly put all those little pieces together and watched a new mask take shape. It was one I rarely used in America as the need never really arose. I would be the American bad girl. From what I had heard from the twins and seen for myself, the girls at Ouran were little princesses. A bad girl would be enough to dazzle them, but scare them enough to keep their distance. The guys I wouldn't have to worry about. I doubted many of them would be brave enough to try, but if any of them did start hitting on me I could just brush them off as "not my type", not that I actually had a type. I had never had a real boyfriend before. I had gotten plenty of offers, but I never accepted because I knew that it wasn't me they liked, it was my mask. Sure, everyone wears some kind of mask because everyone has something to hide, but I had never seen one as complete as mine. People always let a little of themselves slip through the cracks. My mind drifted through the host club boys, reassessing them and their masks.

Kyoya wore a mask seven layers thick. His was the closest I had ever seen to being as perfect as mine. The only imperfection was that his mask was a puppet master's mask, it hid details about his life and the quirks of his personality, but revealed his true nature. The biggest down fall of such a nature is that those details don't matter. They control and manipulate others through their details. They can easily fight back when someone else tries to manipulate them the same way. When someone like me comes in, then there's trouble. I know better than to use the little things in his life to sway him. The best way to fight someone like Kyoya is to cut the power he holds over them, or to turn his puppets against him altogether.

Tamaki seemed to be unaware of his own mask. He was hiding from some terrible pain. I couldn't tell what it was exactly, but I could only guess that it had something to do with his mother. He got a strange look of longing in his eyes when he had talked about her the other day. He hides that pain and tries to get rid of it by doting on all of his "princesses".

The twins were a bit obvious, if slightly confusing. They laughed and played and pranked to hide their sadness. Not even their own mother could tell them apart. People lumped them together as one person seeing no real difference between the two of them. Yet, they continue to rely on each other and keep everyone else at a distance. They want to be separate, but they aren't ready to leave each other's side. The only reason I hadn't stopped calling them Kahi was because it didn't cause the same reaction as when others did it. They seemed to know that I really saw them as individuals, even if I couldn't tell which was which yet.

Haruhi was a bit more difficult, but not impossible. There was the secret that he was hiding, which was the obvious piece of his mask, but his was very much like Tamaki's: he didn't realize it was there. There was some pain in his life and now his wears this mask. He tries to be more grown up and responsible, hiding away any piece of him that would enjoy goofing off just for the sake of goofing off.

Hunny was sincere in his love of cute things, I could tell, but his eyes held some secret shame. I had looked into the Haninozuka family a little and found that their reputation had no room for cute things. He most likely had some kind of conflict about the whole thing with his father as he is the first born, and was still dealing with the pain of it. Then there was the fact that he acted childish. Despite his general demeanor, I'm sure that he could handle any kind of situation in the most mature way. Though he probably didn't if Kyoya and Mori were around, simply because they could handle it.

Mori. Morinozuka Takashi. He was the tricky one. I could see his mask, but I couldn't find any seams or cracks. He wasn't a robot or a zombie, so he wasn't really as emotionless as he acted. Whatever it was about him, he was good at hiding it. I had been able to see his nature simply through his aura when he was near Hunny. He is a protector and he cares for his cousin, but I couldn't see anything else. I know why everyone else joined the host club. Tamaki found some way to sway each of their hearts and convince them to join, but Mori only joined because Hunny did. Everyone else just accepts that he is Hunny's shadow and that's all there is to it, but I know there has to be more. He had been on my mind almost constantly since I had met him the other day. I don't know what had happened, but the moment I locked eyes with him something just changed. He's stuck on my mind, and it doesn't look like he'll be leaving any time soon. I would just have to find a way to crack him. I would watch and wait and find some way to get a proper look at the real Morinozuka Takashi.

I jumped when my phone buzzed in my hand. I flipped it open without looking at the number, wondering who could possibly be calling. The only people who had my number where all back in America.

"Hello?"

"_Alice! Ohmigosh! We miss you so much!"_

"_Ow. Hi, Mells."_

"_It is so good to hear your voice!"_

"_Melody, stop screaming into the phone, you're going to make her deaf."_ A third voice?

"_Amber?"_

"_Yeah, it's me, Mells, Kyle, and Drew,"_

"_Hey, Alice!"_

"_Hey!" _

"_Hey, guys! How are you all?"_ It was so good to hear all their voices again. _"Wait, isn't it like 2 A.M. there?"_

"_Yup. Melody insisted that we call you before you started school."_

"_I appreciate that, guys. It's been pretty crazy since I got here."_

"_Yeah, so tell us! How is it? What's your family like?"_

"_Well, the school is full of the richest, most spoiled kids in the country, so I got that to look forward to."_ Note the sarcasm. _" My family's not as bad as I thought, though."_

"_So have you visited the school yet? What did you pick?"_ They all knew about my little skill. They all knew that I would put on a new mask for every new situation. They all knew that the person they called a friend was just another mask. It was the weakest mask, but a mask none the less. They knew me better than anyone else. Aside from my mom, at least. My mother was the only person in my life who has ever been able to see through me and all of my walls. No, the person they knew was something else. Drew often called me Puck because he said I reminded him of the fey man from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. That's what I was to them. I was some mystic faerie creature that simply played a role when I interacted with the humans in my twisted little game. I couldn't disagree with them too much. It often felt like I was playing a game when I put on my mask to play my part.

"_Actually, I was having some trouble there. I've gone to visit the school, but the visit didn't quite go as planned. Plus, with my cousins at the same school, people are going to make assumptions about me. I think I may have it figured out though."_

"_Oh?"_

"_Come on, we want details!"_ Melody was an insatiable gossip.

"_Yeah, like how rich are we talking?"_

"_These people are so high up the economic ladder that they literally know nothing about common people. In fact, they actually call them 'commoners'."_

"_What, seriously?"_

"_Yeah, it's pretty crazy."_

"_Wow."_

"_So what about the visit, how did that not go as planned?"_

"_Well the guy who gave me the tour is this total manipulator/shadow king kind of guy. He's the vice-president of the school's 'host club'."_

"_Host club?"_ Kyle asked.

"_Yeah, apparently a bunch of the super-rich, good looking guys from the A classes play host to the school's girls."_

"_Play host how?"_ Amber asked suspiciously.

"_It's nothing inappropriate, they just hang out pretty much. The guys just put on a show of flirting with the girls and treating them like princesses. Apparently they dress up sometimes, too."_

"_Leave it to the Japanese to do something weird like that."_

"_Try the French. The President is half French and grew up there."_

"_Ah, so he's the crazy romantic type."_ Drew said knowingly.

"_You have no idea."_

"_Ok, so you met this guy, then what?"_

I sighed and dove into the tale, telling them about Kyoya and the rest of the host club. They were silent through most of it, though they asked the occasional questions.

"_Good move on the shadow king. That could have gotten messy."_

"_Tell me about it. I just need to make sure I feed him enough good information to keep him on my good side. It shouldn't be too hard though. I did some research and it won't be hard to show that I can be a dangerous enemy."_ I could practically hear them shudder on the other line. They were unfortunate enough to witness someone who tried to black mail me. Kyle still has nightmares.

"_So what's the problem? What's so hard about coming up with a mask for this?"_

"_There are just so many variables to account for this time. I need to get close enough to people that I can get info for Kyoya and be able to manipulate them if I need to, but I don't want to constantly be swarmed. Plus there's the whole ordeal with my uniform."_

"_What happened with your uniform?"_ Amber asked with slight fear.

"_Jeez, Alice,"_ groaned Kyle, _"You haven't even had your first day and there's already an ordeal?"_

"_The girl's uniform is this hideous yellow monstrosity they call a dress. It's all poofy and crap!"_

"_So what are you going to do?"_

"_You know how my aunt is a fashion designer, right?"_

"_Yeah,"_

"_Well she bought me a bunch of boy's uniforms and altered them to fit me. And before you start, Amber, my uncle got permission from the headmaster first, so I'm not breaking any rules."_ We all giggled at Amber's expense. She wasn't a total prude, but she tended to be a stickler for rules.

"_What did you decide on, then?"_

"_American bad girl."_

"_That's pretty clever. If these people are really as ditzy as you say then it'll be enough to scare them into keeping their distance, but dazzle them from afar."_

"_Yup. I'll bend the rules just enough to dazzle them, but not enough to actually get into trouble. I don't need to get kicked out just yet."_

"_See, I knew you'd handle this no problem!"_

"_Right, Drew, because I'm magic."_

"_Lie all you want, Alice. I know the truth."_

"_That I'm a magic faerie from an Elizabethan play?"_

"_No, that you're a magic faerie from Wonderland."_ I could hear the smirk in his voice. Of course he wouldn't let me escape the jokes. We laughed and talked for a while longer. They filled me in on what I was missing and talked about their plans for the next weekend. When we all finally hung up so they could get at least some sleep before school the next day, I decided I was done thinking. No more planning, no more moping. I walked back over to my baby, zipping my jacket as I went. I pulled my helmet on, started the engine, and took off down the street.


End file.
